Company Law Question Solution Essay

QUESTION Ramrajee Baboo is a young attorney with a Master’s Degree in Corporate Law, specialising in project financing documentation. Ramrajee has been appointed to the Board of UDECOTT as it moves forward in a new program based on project financing for its new proposed constructions. UDECOTT is a state enterprise and Ramrajee is paid a stipend of $3,000.00 per month. UDECOTT had previously engaged the services of a general commercial law practitioner, Buji Bamee, to provide legal advice at a cost of $50,000.00 per month. Unknown to Ramrajee, the Chairman of the Board in an informal meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of UDECOTT agreed to terminate the contract of the consultant and have Ramrajee vet the project financing documents in her capacity as a director. Ramrajee was never informed of this decision. Two weeks prior to a board meeting, Ramrajee received board papers including certain project financing contracts for discussion at the next board meeting (scheduled to take place two weeks later). Ramrajee perused the papers cursorily and made certain brief notes. At the board meeting the documents were discussed and Ramrajee made certain general observations. The agreements were subsequently executed. It later transpired that the documents were not properly vetted and UDECOTT suffered a 10 million dollar loss. The agreements were not examined by any attorney other than Ramrajee. The government minister responsible for UDECOTT is quite annoyed and would like someone to be held liable. The Chairman said he relied on Ramrajee to vet the documents but Ramrajee has stated that her duty is that of a general review and would have needed detailed legal analysis beyond what is contemplated by her role as a director to uncover the deficiencies in the documents that occurred. Advise the Minister as to the conduct of Ramrajee. ANSWER ISSUE: Did Ramrajee exercise the level of skill required of her as director? LAW: Directors’ behaviour in office is governed by statutory and common law. Directors hold a fiduciary responsibility to the company for which they work which requires them to properly manage the assets of the company within the powers conferred on them. Under statute, according to section 60(b) of the Companies Act of Trinidad and Tobago, a director shall â€Å"direct the management of the business and the affairs of the company†. In effecting this management, he must do so in accordance with section 99(1) of the said Act which states that a director and officer of a company shall in exercising his powers and discharging his duties: a) Act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interest of the company; and b) Exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. These are all to be done in the best interest of the company. Where directors act in accordance with section 99, they may be indemnified against any liabilities incurred as a result of holding such a position pursuant to section 101. Under common law, the director owes a fiduciary duty to the company, as found in Pardy v Dobbin NFCA 11 (CanII), which â€Å"exacts from directors a strict ethic to act honestly and in good faith in the corporation’s best interest†. ANALYSIS: As a director of the board, Ramrajee owed a very specific duty of care towards the company. In particular, she was expected to exercise diligence and a level of skill that reflected her qualifications, as found in section 99(1)(b). While Ramrajee was unaware of the informal decision to terminate the consultant who was hired to perform general commercial law activities, the mere fact that Ramrajee was a member of the Board and had specialized skills in project financing documentation means that it would be expected that she use these skills. Moreover, the highly-paid consultant was a general practitioner and did not have this specialized skill. In addition, she was given two weeks to review the documents during which time she could have scrutinized them, but she did not. Her duties under statutory and common law required her to review the documents carefully. She did not exercise the level of care and skill required by her fiduciary position which was not in the best interest of the Company. As she breached section 99 of the Companies Act, as well as her common law fiduciary duties, she should be held liable and will not be indemnified by the company under section 101 for the loss sustained. RECOMMENDATION: Minister, she is in breach of her statutory and common law duties and should be held liable.

“Utopia is no place”. How does the Utopian and dystopian fiction you have studied present the possibility of perfection

â€Å"It is the dream of a just society, which seems to haunt the human imagination ineradicably and in all ages†1. But â€Å"absolute purity, absolute justice, absolute logic and perfection are beyond human achievement†2. Composers such as More, Orwell, Huxley and Atwood use different avenues and techniques to explore this idea of perfection and its feasibility on earth with the human race. Utopian and dystopian fiction comprises a broad selection of texts; but in the narrowest definition any text in which the composer proposes an ideal or nightmarish world or society. The literary cannons of Utopian and Dystopian fiction include: Plato's Republic, Thomas More and his Utopia – responsible for both the generic name and genre creation; Aldous Huxley's Brave New World; George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm; And Marget Atwoods's Hand Maid's Tale. Within each text composers use different presentations of the ‘ideal' society to highlight the achievability and desirability of perfection. Utopia is a story, to be discovered only by trespassing onto an unknown voyage of exploration by Raphael Hythloday, More's fictional protagonist. Utopia is a â€Å"prototypical sociological and anthropological study†3 into humanity. In book II, More ‘records' Raphael's account of life in Utopia as he ‘experienced it'. He presents a prescriptive report of social structures of Utopia – contrasting it, in the minds of the responders, with his earlier discussions in Book I of the â€Å"sorry state of the realm of England†. Utopia ends, first with a rousing flourish by Hythloday in which he claims Utopia to be the most perfect of societies, followed by More's assessment that many Utopian policies are absurd, though there are some he would â€Å"like to see adopted in Europe†4. Utopia sits in the span between worldly pragmatism and philosophical idealism. It is a working society in which there is no evil, but the book can offer no means by which an existing society might be transformed into a Utopian model. Although Utopia is sceptical of aspects of the Utopian society it is still marked by the authors' faith in science, reason, and progress. Later works of Utopian fiction saw a shift towards a more pessimistic and cynical view of man, generating the term dystopian fiction. This has become synonymous with 1984; Brave New World and Handmaids Tale. 1984 is â€Å"a utopia in the form of a novel†5 – meaning like More's its inception is at a fantastical ‘no place'. Orwell's Eurasia began with a vision of â€Å"a glittering antiseptic world of glass and steel and snow-white concrete†6 but quickly turned to a totalitarian nightmarish state where even the freedom to say, â€Å"two plus two make four† corroded by the Party, where â€Å"War is Peace† â€Å"Freedom is Slavery† and â€Å"Ignorance is Strength† Orwell presents a bleak picture of a society whose aim at perfection has completely eroded individual rights and freedom. A society where the state wields â€Å"power for powers sake† and truth and trust are a distant hallucination. The society is marked by fear of â€Å"vaporisation† and â€Å"un-person[ification]†, where individual's movements and thoughts are constantly monitored and controlled by the Party. He also uses the very powerful ending of the book with Winston's betrayal of Julia, as the final testament to human will. He shows us that â€Å"to talk about the need for perfection in man is to talk about the need for another species†7 – that â€Å"perfection is not part of the human essence†8 Orwell's negativity is paralleled by Huxley's Brave New World, a utopian future based on science and technology where forced conformity is exchanged with eugenics and hypnopaedia conditioning. Huxley uses his characters and plots as â€Å"purveyors of truth† reverberating his disillusionment with society and its values. His cynicism and profound pessimism of humanity â€Å"Human beings are given free will in order to choose between insanity on the one hand and lunacy on the other† is also widely reflected within the text. His vision of ‘perfection' sees the attrition of individuality for the sake of stability requiring the sacrifice of art, science, and religion. Individuality is not only repressed it's exterminated before and after birth through various forms of conditioning. He too, like Orwell, concludes his composition with disquieting statement regarding human will, with John's submission to World State society leading to his suicide. Atwood uses the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic state, to also make a comment upon society's flaws. Dangerously low reproduction rate leads to a society with very definitive class distinctions – the elites, the Marthas and the handmaids – the vessels assigned to produce fruit for the infertile elites. Atwood suggests, people will endure oppression willingly as long as they receive some slight amount of power or freedom – â€Å"truly amazing, what people can get used to, as long as there are a few compensations† and this passivity is the factor which enables the formation of totalitarian states. Again testifying to the limitations of the human character. However Atwood unlike Orwell and Huxley moves towards a heterotopic state at the end of the novel with the protagonist being whisked away to the underground by Nick signifying remnants of hope for humanity. Composers have often within their compositions addressed the human desire for perfection. But â€Å"numerous works of modern literature have been suspicious not only of the possibility of utopia, but of its very desirability† 9 By reflecting on â€Å"disastrous opposite†10 resulting form trying to implement utopia on a grand scale composers have highlighted that â€Å"Perhaps the greatest utopia would be if we could all realize that no utopia is possible.†

What is communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is communication - Essay Example ation on the other hand does not incorporate the use of symbols in the communication but it considers all the verbal exchange between two or moirà © parties as communication. The oxford dictionary traces the origin of the word ‘communication’ to the Latin word communis meaning â€Å"common† and Reuben and Stewart believe that the first form of communication originated in the Greek empire especially by the early philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates who developed different explanations concerning communication. These two explanations of communication resemble the Schramm’s model of communication in that they all realize the importance of understanding between the sender of the information and the receiver. In Schramm’s model he calls it the ‘commonness’ between a source and the receiver. All the parties in the communication channel must understand one another and this can only be measured through a feedback from the receiver (Ruben & Lea 20). The transactional model of communication is a preferred model because the communicators can act simultaneously by sending and receiving messages and that the communication process in this case is dynamic and it changes over time. In this model the people whom you are communicating with keep on changing as well as the environment in which the communication is taking place. This model enables the parties involved to gain understanding of the information being communicated because the two parties are interdependent thus the source cannot relay information without the receiver and vice versa. The several factors that affect the reaction of both the sender and the receiver are factors like their cultural beliefs, self esteem and their own backgrounds (wood, 6). My own model of communication would be a linear model that will enable the receiver to give feedback of the received information. This model will be effective than any other in the textbook since the linearity of this model will enable the receiver to listen

WORKPLACE CONFLICT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

WORKPLACE CONFLICT - Essay Example The inconsistency emanating from the relationship between him and the head of department may seem obvious and an easy task to resolve. However, the issue may run out of control and hurt the whole organization. Therefore, establishing the different concepts as honorable approaches to resolving the rivalry could serve to save the company from animosity, with an advantageous outline of handling relevant future problems. Adapting to the concept of avoidance can serve as a vital tool to resolving the problems prevailing between the head of department and the employee. The concept asserts that the individuals could differ from direct confrontations (Cooper). For instance, George could undertake his tasks towards achieving the organizational set goals without hindrances, and in accordance with the set of rules and regulations. The head of department may resent to the issue of job performance with the aim of completion targeting to improve the quality of output. The concept may serve to adequately restrict the H.O.D from interfering with employee performances so long as they are up to the set rules and regulations. Avoidance concept could further restrict the manager from meddling into George’s undertakings as he remains naà ¯ve of the dealings till the point of delivery. In the event that the H.O.D enforces inapplicable regulations causing strenuous relationship between him and George, the concept is relevant to competitive conflict style. In this concept, the high ranked individual seems to express an unchallenged authority over his subordinates in order to feel satisfied. For instance, the H.O.D exerts pressure to George to work towards achieving his solely set objectives despite the fact that they are set to benefit the organization. The concept depicts an understanding that the approach may restrain the subject to quit all his duties entirely. Competitive rivalry between the manager and the employee,

Persuasive Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive Campaign - Essay Example For example, diabetes and hypertension patients are put into consideration during the production since the company’s research and development team establishes a differentiated product for that particular group of people (p.2). Arguably, the Morning Flakes product is classified into the different categories to ensure that all the neglected niches acquire the benefit of dining on healthy cereals during their meals. Methods of marketing the product The research and development process of the persuasive campaigns The survey undertaken by the company’s R&D team revealed that most of the population in developing economies comprised of the baby-boomer generation who are currently living within the range of 50 years. Marketing campaigns seek to enhance a company’s penetration to the consumers at both the local and the global platforms (p.39). Bearing such findings in mind, the research study enabled the team to table a proposal seeking the management of to produce a prod uct that would serve the segment needs of these groups of people. Most important was the fact that the team discovered the generation’s financial prowess, which communicated a level of enhanced benefits to the organization if the production, processing, and marketing campaign programs would seek to serve the needs and wants of the mature segment. During the company’s research and development process, the company’s employees realized that most of the poor families in the global societies lacked basic meals because of the costs executed to such products. Further, lack of knowledgeable information from the media prevailed as a key hindrance to the desired level of marginal consumption. The campaign processes and strategic approaches to the product’s marketing It was evident that the company’s campaign teams would market its standardized and customized Morning Flakes products in accordance to the specific segment’s needs and wants. Subsequently, an exploratory survey undertaken in the developing economies revealed that the ageing population had financial prowess compared with the younger generations. The researchers’ strategically established that the needs and wants of the consumer groups in the developing and underdeveloped economies matched mainly because of their financial status. Further, the marketing campaign teams sort to use differentiated advertisement approaches that suited different global cultures, but included the prospective benefits that each of the demographic categories would accrue through the consumption of the cereals (p.119). The strategic implementation of actionable advertisements in television and radio media seemed the most appropriate method to achieve the consumers’ desires, draw their interests, and engage them on lasting awareness on the product’s availability. The process of marketing campaigns for Morning Flakes’ cereal products is saliently executed in accordance to the target consumer groups, the economic and social status, the standards of living, and the societies’ standards of living. Ideally, the marketers embrace the process of persuading the consumers to purchase the cereals through the execution of favorable marketing campai

3 Questions to case with EPA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

3 Questions to case with EPA - Essay Example EPA had imposed a ban on any manufacture of coffee tables with a glass-top. The news on the ban of the coffee tables posed a threat to the business of Skywalker, a California resident whose main source of income came from the manufacture of coffee tables. Skywalker business was growing fast, but the news on the ban by EPA posed a threat to the booming business. The EPA regulations reached the target group through a short warning statement to the media houses and a comment on EPA website (Jennings 25). After the effective date for implementation of the new regulation regarding the ban, Skywalker could face an arrest and possible prosecution by EPA. After the regulation’s effective date, it is evident that Skywalker had already sold five such coffee tables already banned by EPA. According to the news received by the table mania business owner, Mr. Skywasker, the law took effect from 10 July. Therefore, it is with no reasonable doubts that his store contained the banned items. EPA could either charge, jail or impose sanctions to the violators of the law from its effective date (Jennings 31). Skywalker could face the law since the EPA had a mandate to propose and implement a law after approval by the Congress. According to the US federal government, any proposed regulation by a state agency, becomes law after the congress approves it. However, the complainant can challenge the regulation and avoid the punishment. EPA could face a challenge depending on the administrative authority of the state agencies. The acts by the state agencies have two categories, which are rulemaking depending on the nature of the rules, and adjudicative referring to the right of the accused to hearing (Jennings 240). Skywalker could challenge the EPA regulation on the ban of glass-coffee table in the US appeal court (Jennings 245). In this court, the complainant has a right to have his case listened to giving the facts as to why he thinks the regulation is

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 71

Assignment - Essay Example a for irradiation, check for computer setup to ensure correct calibration for correct doses and do the actual operation of the radiation machine (â€Å"Radiation Therapists†). The radiation therapist will also observe the patient for any signs of reactions following therapy and keeps records for their clients. Although interested candidates may be considered qualified after a year’s certificate program completion, most of the employers will preferentially hire candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in the field of radiation therapy. Radiation therapists should be Detail oriented. A radiation practitioner must be keen in following precise instructions and feed the machines with exact calibrations to ensure correct radiation dosing. They are also hypothetically supposed to have good interpersonal skills since they deal with patients who in most cases may be going through emotional and physical stress. Physical stamina comes as an added advantage since radiation therapists often have to stand for long hour and additionally aid in lifting and moving clients who require some assistance. Technical skills are a necessity since the also deal with large technological machines and computer. Being radiation therapist in most cases means you are on fulltime job. As such, it is often wise to leave somewhere near the work station. It is fully indoors and since radiations are booked prior, then there is need for a regular work schedule (â€Å"Radiation Therapists†) However, for anyone considering this line of work, most of the states will necessitate you to be registered to a professional board and have a valid license from regulatory bodies. Failure to uphold regulations of these bodies will often lead to cancellation of license making it hard to practice. The assignment made me realize that a profession is holistic. Being a radiation therapist will require good interpersonal skills to be able to deal with clienteles who are emotional beings. I discovered

Class race gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Class race gender - Essay Example In this book, Wilson is applying an exciting new reasoned framework to three politically filled social problems. Wilson makes it very clear that the causes of poverty are structural in nature. He argues that structural forces, which he defines as the behavior shared by people who are in the same circumstances. He discusses that the black community unemployment, poverty, and teenage mothers are â€Å"cultural† because they follow from the individual’s perception of how the society looks. In other words, the black communities grow up with a mentality that whatever they are going through is the way of life (Martinez 59). Wilson states that structural causes â€Å"should be given more weight†. There seems to be a fundamental message in the book that claims that the poor blacks are not responsible nor can they fix anything that is structural until the barriers are removed either by the governing or by the racial discriminators themselves (Martinez 45). Wilson also feels that the social scientist are wasting time studying the structural causes rather than proposing methods that can be used to remove these barriers. The removal of these structural barriers will free the black community from racism bondage like illiteracy, employment, and social class. Therefore, Wilson emphasizes on change, no matter how long it might take. Further, he believes that this change ought to happen because it is the only barrier hindering the black community from prosperity. This change can begin by implementing neutral social policies and that those in power should address domestic poverty and establish vocational training and offer jobs for the blacks in ghetto. This will reduce unemployment and improve the class of the black community (Chin 87). However, Wilsons mind was changed by Barack Obama’s famous campaign speech on race, and how blacks and whites hailed at the speech. Wilson believes that Obama will eventually address racism and bring Am erica to

On what grounds has the Washington Consensus been criticized Is the Essay

On what grounds has the Washington Consensus been criticized Is the Post Washington Consensus a viable alternative Critically discuss - Essay Example licy of the developing nations only that includes reduction of government deficits, liberalization and deregulation of international trade as well as cross border investment. This term was first used by John Williamson in 1989. It was used to describe a set of ten specific economic policy prescriptions that was considered by his as the standard reform package promoted for the crisis wracked developing countries. This consensus was influential during the 1990’s. During the first decade of the 21st century, this concept became increasingly controversial. After the outbreak of the economic chaos during 2008 and 2009, it was thought that Washington consensus has found its end (Poverty and development policy). John Williamson who used this term first used this to support the commonly shared themes among the policy advices by Washington based financial institutions. These institutions were the IMF, World Bank and the US treasury department. These policies were believed to be used for the recovery of Latin America from the financial crisis of the 1980’s. But Williamson’s concept of the theme was neoliberal in its approach. Even though the policy was put forward by Americans, the policy makers in Latin America used their own perspectives to develop these and introduce them in their own countries. These were developed keeping in mind what happened inside and outside the country. It was also said that these policies were largely a creation of Latin American politicians and technocrats and Williamson being a person to gather these policies first at one place. Neo liberalists argue that Washington consensus is a set of policies that are imposed on hapless countries by the Washington based international financial establishments. They also argue that these policies have increased the misery of such countries than before. This concept that was initiated by John Williamson inspired a wave of reforms in Latin America and sub Saharan Africa. This policy fundamentally

Cultural Tourism Development Essay Example for Free

Cultural Tourism Development Essay With its modern sky line and quality infrastructure, it is difficult to believe that Dubai in the United Arab Emirates was once a small town of Bedouin traders. Exotic animals used to inhabit the grounds occupied by the present-day Nad al Sheba racetrack Contemporary Dubai has been built beyond reasonable expectations, more so from the stigma which befell a post-Gulf War Arabia. High-technology and high-fashion shops are now as commonplace as the gold souks. Modern Dubai is an eclectic mix of old and new, ancient and modern. Tourism, cultural tourism particularly, is considered one of the fastest-growing industries globally; with fierce competition being its natural corollary. Dubai is viewed as one of the prime tourist destinations, giving the country a distinct vantage in the arena. Dubai’s relative advantages pertinent to tourism are manifold. First, tourism is a rapidly-growing, huge industry; it is, therefore, a crucial sector that Dubai can take advantage of. Dubai is aptly capable in meeting global standards, being in itself, a set of visions. Dubai’s global position, as predicted, will be that of an â€Å"internationally-recognized hub and destination of choice for cultural tourism†. Dubai’s 2010 vision reiterates this notion, stating a threefold agenda for its long-term goal of becoming an international tourist hub: (1) creating a quality environment conducive to immigration and investment inflows, necessary for enticing a technologically-knowledgeable/skilled human capital base, (2) launching a policy of arts and culture developments, with the creation of an arts center in Dubai, (3) initiating an annual program of cultural activities (e. g. expositions, concerts, visiting artist performances) to mark its reputation as a modern society. Second, tourism is a highly-unpredictable industry, with trends and factors influential of tourist influx. Factors that positively affect tourism are disposable income increase, transportation cost decrease, tourism package cost decrease, and political stability presence. Travel distance has become an irrelevant tourism factor. Third, competition has spurred creative marketing strategies on the part of tourism providers. They have started providing leisure and business packages in greater variety, higher quality, and more competitive pricing scheme- thereby boosting the market demand for tourism. With the current trends in tourism at work, the demand being on the favorable side, it is projected that the $ 3. 3 trillion global tourism industry will grow at a 6. 8 % annual rate for the next 10 years. Fourth, the tourism industry is challenged by a body of better-informed and discriminating clientele. Tourism providers, therefore, need to package destinations in a detail-specific and compelling manner, categorized on the basis of market segmentation, in order to lure prospective tourists. The package destinations can also aim at a wider range of tourists for particular destinations in order to satisfy the market demand. In view of these trends, Dubai must adhere to the aforementioned steps to be able to take advantage of the tourism sector to its fullest. Dubai must maintain research-based equilibrium values per tourist segment, from where tourism providers can base tourist package offers from. The move is expected to optimize Dubai’s gain from possible tourism-generated revenues. It must also continue upgrading its support services in order to be able to service the increasing flock of tourists, broaden the basis of their motivation for tourism, and eventually, draw more tourists into visiting. A study of tourism’s framework is a requisite for understanding it. According to the Singaporean Board of Tourism website, the tourism landscape is composed of two sections: motivating attraction and supporting services. Motivating attractions include business tourism, cruise events, honeymoons, and especially, cultural tourism. Supporting services, however, include IT Communication systems, travel agencies, hotels, entertainment management companies, and computer reservation systems. Cultural activities, in addition, are part of a broader tourism framework; by building on both Motivating Attractions and Supporting Services, Dubai will be able to attract tourists and encourage repeat visits. Cultural Tourism Cultural tourism is the type of tourism intent on an exploration of and education on the culture of a particular state. The motivating attraction components of cultural tourism are cultural/historical heritage, performing arts (theatre), visual arts and music. The CulturalHistorical Heritage component includes parks sightseeing, tours, cultural events, festivals and fairs. Performing Arts (Theatre) includes musicals, operas, ballet and dance exhibitions, and dramatic and classical performances. The Visual Arts component includes museums, painting galleries, craft exhibits, and film and photography showcases. Music, however, includes symphonies, orchestras and concerts. Supporting Services for cultural tourism comprise of marketing organizations to promote the Arts and Dubai’s position as a ‘center for the arts’ in the region, operational organizations to collaborate with performing arts talents and IT specialists for marketing, state-of-the-art venues like auditoriums, screening rooms, seminar rooms and staging arenas, and the technology that allows for world-class performances and shows. This US-based data on cultural tourism illustrates some key characteristics of the tourism demography (regular/cultural tourists), with important implications on the possible benefits from cultural tourism. Research suggests that promoting cultural tourism in Dubai will attract an extremely valuable clientele that will be willing to spend more ($ 174 average difference) and lengthen the duration of their visit (4% difference). Cultural tourism promotion, research also suggests, increases the likelihood of drawing clients with more advanced ages (48 vs. 46 average, 3% difference in retired tourists demography) and educational backgrounds (3% difference in graduate degree-holding status). Hosting such a demography is a boost for promoting Dubai as the ‘image leader’ in the region, an immense contribution to the knowledge economy. The National Assembly of State Arts agencies website asserts that some economic and cultural trends has had a huge impact on cultural tourism statistics. First, there has been a general rise in affluence and education level trends. Second, the United Arab Emirates has bore witness to cultural diversity; with expatriates now accounting for more than 75% of the UAE population. Third, an increase in the economic role and education of women had women typically setting up vacation plans. Fourth, a lesser time for leisure which is a mark of modern society increased the demand for and placed emphasis on shorter and value-added trips. Lastly, there has been an intensified influence of technology in every domain; an increased awareness of cultural issues therefore effected in tourists demanding a greater variety of cultural activities. These trends imply favorable growth prospects for cultural tourism in Dubai. Analyzing Dubai’s situation, it is evident that the current cultural tourism landscape is insufficient. Cultural Tourism Activities in Dubai are on a small-scale, fragmented, and uncoordinated way, and bereft of independent quality check and strategic guidance. The Dubai Explorer 2002 has it that the only activities/establishments which garnered a medium rating on the concentration graph were Dubais six (6) parks (Creekside Park, Mushrif Park, Rashidiya Park, Safa Park, Al Mamzar Beach and Jumeira Beach Park). The Performing Arts Division (comprising of nine (9) groups and clubs), the Visual Arts Sector (composed of four (4) galleries) and Falconry Division’s three (3) centers were noted as having the lowest concentrations. Dubai, however, is not deficient in Venues for Musical and Theatrical Performances which include: seven (7) venues for Classical Concerts (e. g. Crowne Plaza Hotel), six (6) venues for Theatrical Performances (e. g. a 500-seat Community Theater built in 2002 near Nad Al Sheba) and fifteen (15) venues for Dance/Pop Concert Events. These numbers are suggestive of the budding need for appropriate staging facilities and equipment; the demand for performance venues having been predicted. Comparing the aforementioned figures to a cultural tourism-investing country’s infrastructure statistics will reveal some startling differences. The data has it that Dubai has 80% the GDP/capita of Hong Kong but pales in comparison with regard to cultural infrastructure- with only 15% the number of museums and 0% the number of theaters and arenas. Based on these ratios, Dubai should have at least 10 museums and 5 theaters in order to parallel Hongkong’s status as a tourism spot. The Cultural Tourism Industry Group and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies websites specify the apparent quality and tourism potential of museums, art galleries, concert halls, historic sites, and national and state parks as main considerations influencing cultural tourists. The organization of cultural events, festivals and fairs is a consideration too. With an understandably hectic itinerary, the logistics scheme and accompanying amenities also count. Some of these features have already been instituted/organized in Dubai such as national and state parks, cultural events, festivals and fairs. These institutions/affairs are considered highly-competitive and very manageable. On the other hand, theaters, concert halls and archeological sites are basically non-existent. The construction of theaters and concert halls are reasonable, achievable objectives as exemplified by the construction of a 500-seat Community Theater (built in 2002 near Nad Al Sheba). The contrary holds for establishing archeological sites, a challenging feat. The creation of and investment in organizational networks in Dubai that promote cultural activities will beget ample dedication which will enable cultural organizations to fund, foster and implement innovative ideas crucial to the development of cultural activities. In addition, the implementation of high-impact activities will command the highest visibility and draw a significant number of tourists. Those projects are intent on Cultural Tourism which is currently unavailable in Dubai. Cultural Tourism necessitates the creation of a dedicated oversight committee within the DTCM structure to: (1) coordinate with the private sector regarding the development of projects, (2) fund and foster the development of different project concepts, and (3) assist in projects implementation to foster the development of cultural activities. Possible High-Impact Projects Cultural Tourism necessitates an identification of viable high-impact activities for implementation. Possible projects include: (1) the construction of a culture complex (Barbican or Lincoln Center model-based), (2) the construction of an opera house (London’s Royal Albert Hall-modeled), (3) erection of a major performing arts venue (in joint effort with the private sector’s Community Theater project currently underway), (4) the erection of a concert hall (in partnership with Moscow for purposes of production and guidance), (5) the initiation of a desert arena, (6) hosting cultural events and activities, and (7) erection of art cinema houses for Indie Films (NYC’s Angelica Theater-based). Moreover, there is an apparent need for an amendment in Dubai’s existing laws on private ownership to further the development of cultural tourism in this region. In a 1999 DTCM survey, as posted in the HK Leisure and Cultural Services Department website, a majority of the respondents specified the scarcity of peculiar activities and sightings in Dubai. The respondents criticized the offered cultural activities as being small-scale, fragmented and uncoordinated. These survey results support the need for improvements in cultural tourism infrastructure, developments in ongoing cultural activities, and initiation of high-impact projects. The DTCM, with its current organizational setup, is ill-equipped for a full development of cultural services. A labor force comparison between the DTCM and the HK LC Services Department yielded startling results; the HK LC Services Department has 26 times more employees. There is an immense need to foster a dedicated organization, in charge of coordinating the development of cultural activities in the region. The organizational setup will be based on the Hong Kong model where its primary role would be to act as the central node of cultural activities in the region. Other organizational responsibilities include: (1) promotion of cultural performances, (2) provision of support to festival organizers and private companies, and (3) offer of audience-aimed educational programs, and (4) overall logistical operations (e. g. venues and ticketing). Conclusion It is evident that the dearth of cultural facilities and cultural activities has brought Dubai to a tourism disadvantage. Cultural facilities/activities have been described, aptly or otherwise, as being small-scale, quality control-bereft, and seemingly uncoordinated with other cultural tourism authorities. Established institutions, however, such as the Dubai Museum, Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding, and the Dubai Natural History Group have potentially important roles in boosting Dubai’s cultural tourism prospects. Currently, there is an insufficient government emphasis in Cultural Tourism, although an AED 10M Dubai Community Theatre project which is currently underway is definitely a step in the right direction. An expedient cultural tourism infrastructure will facilitate Dubai’s agenda of drawing a desirable demographic, generating ample revenues from increased expenses and lengthened travel duration on tourists’ part, and according Dubai the status of an ‘image leader’ in the world. Furthermore, it is expected to heighten students’ thespic awareness and enthusiasm, sufficient encouragements for the scholarly and professional pursuit of the Arts. An overall improvement in the quality of life is expected with the creation of an inculturated tourism experience; creative arts specialists and cultural promotion companies will then be drawn to Dubai. Implications The magnitude of Dubai’s long-term agenda has various implications for the government and support systems, and marketing and production logistics. For one, a high degree of government support is entailed, more so that the need to institute a governmental agency for cultural promotion purposes presents itself. Secondly, creating partnerships with relevant local and overseas organizations is required for the promotion and improvement of Dubai’s Art and Culture. Third, the creation of specialized umbrella organizations, like a National Heritage Board or an Arts Council, is a significant assistance to the government for a more focused management. Fourth, the government has to support, subsidize and grant incentives to private sector initiatives in support of Dubai’s cultural tourism agenda (e. g. museum foundation, arts organizations). Lastly, there is a need for the government to set guidelines and policies directed on an effective management of cultural facilities, heritage conservation and tourist education. Support services have their own share of responsibilities. First, the management of major facilities, such as stadiums and performance venues, will ensure organizers a constant facility access and facility maintenance. Second, there is a need for the implementation of an accessible and automated ticketing system, possibly with the use of the Internet, to ensure a widespread distribution and expediency. Third, the endowment of financial support to festivals, events organizers, museums’ administration and arts organizations can be a tourism marketing tool. Lastly, the Internet is an effective marketing instrument with a global domain; therefore, creating websites and publishing electronic newsletters on cultural tourism is an information dissemination option. Dubai’s cultural tourism agenda has peculiar implications for marketing and production logistics. First, ticket pricing has to be reasonable and demand-based; with discount offerings for senior citizens, students and children, and price markdowns on special occasions and for promotional means. Second, an effective marketing strategy is key to succeeding in this arena; to participate and organize sales missions, trade and tourism fairs, consumer fairs and other promotional events is therefore necessary. Third, cultural organizers have to be responsible for audience-briefing on cultural themes in order to help the audience appreciate different cultural performances. Lastly, an educated domain is a boost to cultural tourism; therefore, the provision of educational programs addressed to students (lectures, workshops, seminars and symposia) and the encouragement of learning institutions to participate in cultural activities will significantly bolster Dubai’s tourism agenda. Dubai’s vision has crucial implications for production logistics too. First, affairs organizers have a wide array of production options ranging from traditional repertoires to avant-garde creative performances. Organizers have a corollary responsibility of heeding consumer demand and garnering independent ideas; providing a means for the submission of independent project proposals is therefore requisite. Second, it is the organizers’ privilege and responsibility to provide performance opportunities to both established and upcoming local artists and groups. Third, there is an organizer responsibility for a performance venue planning and management, with a corollary need for the constant enhancement and upgrading of performance facilities. Lastly, production organizers have to establish and be of support to local professional artists groups like philharmonic societies, dance companies and orchestras. With a competent strategy and ample guidance, Dubai’s 2010 Vision of Cultural Tourism need not be an impossibility!

Development of Magnesium-Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cell

Development of Magnesium-Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cell Performance of Carbon felt cathode for Magnesium–Hydrogen peroxide fuel cells K. Naga Mahesh, Balaji Rengarajan, K.S. Dhathathreyan* Centre for Fuel Cell Technology, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), 2nd Floor, IITM Research Park, Taramani, Chennai–600113. Abstract Carbon felt and carbon cloth are used as a cathode in Magnesium-Hydrogen peroxide fuel cell. The performance of the cathode are tested in a 30 cm2 area single cell assembly along with 0.68M NaCl as anolyte and 0.5M to 2M H2O2 + H2SO4 solution as catholyte. The cell was tested in different concentration of the reactants and at temperatures 35 to 70 °C. Carbon felt cathode was shown better performance than carbon cloth. The maximum current density achieved at cell voltage 1.11V was 80 mA cm-2. Keywords: Mg-H2O2 fuel cell, Carbon felt, Carbon cloth, hydrogen peroxide, Corresponding author* Dr. K.S. Dhathathreyan, Head and Associate Director, Centre for Fuel Cell Technology, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), 2nd Floor, IITM Research Park, Taramani, Chennai–600113. Ph: +91–44–6663 2723 Email: [emailprotected] Introduction Electrochemical systems based on Magnesium–hydrogen peroxide fuel cells (Mg–H2O2) have high specific energy and are capable of converting chemical energy stored in magnesium and hydrogen peroxide to electrical energy [7]. Recently, much attention was focused due to its high theoretical voltage compared to existing semi fuel cells like Aluminum–silver oxide (Al–AgO) [1] or Aluminum–hydrogen peroxide (Al– H2O2) [2,3]. The Mg–H2O2 fuel cell has a theoretical voltage of 4.14V which is higher than the resources mentioned above [4]. The theoretical half cell and overall voltages for the Magnesium–hydrogen peroxide fuel cell system are as follows [5]: Anode: Mg à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   Mg+2 + 2e E0 = 2.37 V (vs SHE) Cathode : H2O2 + 2H2 + 2e à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   2H2O E0 = 1.78 V (vs. SHE) Overall reaction : Mg + H2O2 + 2H+à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   Mg+2 + 2H2O Ecell = 4.15 V (vs. SHE) The Mg–H2O2 fuel cells possess advantages of environmentally benign and low costs, prior to commercialization further improvement is necessary. The cathode materials used in Mg–H2O2 fuel cell are the key components, which determine the performance and stability of the cell [7]. Extensive studies were carried out and explored the substrates suitable for cathodic materials and hydrogen peroxide reduction reactions [6, 8]. Benette et al [9] has used fabricated Microfibre carbon electrode (MCE) as cathode in Al–H2O2 fuel cells, the fabricated MCE was covered by Pd/Ir clusters using a textile flocking technique. The MCE has shown a maximum power density of 90 mW cm-2 with increased loading of Pd/Ir on cathode to 10 mg cm-2. Carbon and Nickel foil substrates have been studied comparatively with Pd/Ir catalyst in Mg–H2O2 fuel cell. The cell voltages of 1.3V and 1.5V were obtained with nickel foil and carbon substrate catalyzed by Pd/Ir catalyst at 25 mA cm-2 [10] . To achieve a better performance and stability, besides a high catalytic activity of the catalyst toward the hydrogen peroxide reaction, the properties of the material for cathodic catalysts should be considered. Considering above aspects, carbon can be a good choice for its excellent corrosive resistance in different media. However, it is of challenge to prepare a carbon based substrate with both high electronic conductivity and good mechanical property [11]. In the present study, carbon felt and carbon cloth has been used as cathode. The fuel cell was operated in various concentrations of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2M hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid as catholyte and 0.68M NaCl as anolyte. The performance of the fuel cell in comparison with carbon cloth and Carbon felt was investigated at temperatures 35 to 70 °C and at flow rates 20, 50, 100 ml min-1. 2. Experimental 2.1 Materials All materials used in this study are reagent grade quality and used as received from SRL chemicals, without further purification. All solutions are prepared in deionised water. The anode used in AZ61 magnesium alloy supplied by Omega Enterprises. The cathode used in carbon cloth and Carbon felt supplied by Nickunj Eximp Ltd. Mg-H2O2 fuel cell tests The performance studies for carbon cloth and Carbon felt as cathode were performed in homemade Mg-H2O2 fuel cell of area 30 cm2 area single cell assembly. The active area of the electrode was 5.5 cm Ãâ€" 5.5 cm. Nafion 117 membrane was used as a PEM membrane. The distance between the membrane and electrodes is 1 mm for Mg–AZ61 anode as well as cathode (Carbon felt and carbon cloth). The testing of the cell was carried out by feeding different concentrations hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid at cathode and 0.6M sodium chloride solution at anode. The flow rates of the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid and sodium chloride solution are supplied at 20, 50 and 100 ml min-1 by calibrated peristaltic pumps. The cell was tested at temperatures of 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C and at 1 bar pressure. The cell temperature was controlled by plate heaters fixed to the cell. 3.0 Results and Discussion 3.1 Carbon felt as cathode The current in the cell has been increased in step wise of 0.5A and the corresponding voltages were recorded. Initially the OCV of the cell with carbon cloth as cathode is ~2.04V and with Carbon felt is ~2.14V. This is ~2.0V lower than the theoretical voltage this may be due to the resistance of the cell materials, and mixed potential at the anode and cathode from simultaneous oxidation of H2O2 to H2O and O2 [12]. 3.2 Effect of temperature Mg-H2O2 fuel cell is operated at temperatures 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C. Fig. 1 represents the electrode polarization curve at different temperatures. It can be seen that the performance of the cell improved with the increase in temperatures from 35–70 °C. At current density of 60 mA cm-2 the voltage was increased from 0.86V to 1.41V with increase in temperatures from 35–70 °C. This behavior of the cell is due to reduction of hydrogen peroxide in high temperatures [6]. Even though the cell performance increased, the instability in the mass transport region at higher current densities may be attributed to formation of gas bubbles due to the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide during discharge process [7]. 3.2 Effect of hydrogen peroxide concentration The activity of the Mg-H2O2 fuel cell increases with increasing in concentration of hydrogen peroxide. However, at high concentrations the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide also occurs [6]. The effect of hydrogen peroxide concentration has been investigated in concentrations of 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 and 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 for carbon cloth and Carbon felt. The concentrations of the catholyte have been optimized by running the fuel cell at concentrations 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2M hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid. 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 and 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 have been chosen for the present study as they demonstrated good performance in comparison with others. Fig. 2 shows the performance of carbon cloth and Carbon felt at 70 °C with concentrations of 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 and 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4. The increase in concentration of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid improved the cell performance [7]. The cathode with carbon cloth has shown maximum power density of 9.1 mW cm-2 and 6.01 mW cm-2 at 0.72V and 0.78 V and current density of 10 mA cm-2 at voltages of 0.88V and 0.55V for 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 and 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 concentrations, while the cathode with carbon fibre felt shown maximum power density of 91 mW cm-2 and 89 mW cm-2 at 1.3V and 1.16V and current density of 70 mA cm-2 at voltages 1.3V and 1.16 for 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 and 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 concentrations. The results imply that Carbon felt has performed 10 times better than carbon cloth. The reason for this effect can be due to less contact area for cathode to perform electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide on carbon cloth. In case of Carbon felt the fibrous structure provides more surface area for cathode to electrochemically reduce hydrogen peroxide [12]. It can also be observed that the cathode with Carbon felt has shown better performance in the ohmic region with increase in concentration of hydrogen peroxide, later on same performance can be seen with 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 in mass transf er region. This can be due to the 1.5 and 2M concentration of sulfuric acid. This is reasonable because electrochemical reaction of hydrogen peroxide involves H+ as reactant, the formation of H+ is rate determining step for electrochemical reaction of hydrogen peroxide, with concentrations of 1.5 and 2M H2SO4 there is very little difference in concentrations so there is a possibility of same performance in mass transfer region. It is evident that with the increase in concentration of hydrogen peroxide the cell performance increased. However, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is also more significant as the concentration increases and can be observed during discharge of the cell. The same can be represented in Figure 2, the fluctuant curves in mass transport region indicate the possible decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and production of gas bubbles that hindered mass transfer for the reactants [7]. 3.3 Effect of flow rate Fig.3 shows the operation of Mg-H2O2 fuel cell in flow rates of 20, 50 and 100 ml min-1. For both anode and cathode electrodes flow rates are kept constant. 0.6M NaCl was fed at anode and 0.5M H2O2 + 1.5M H2SO4 and 2M H2O2 + 2M H2SO4 was fed at cathode during operation of the cell. The curves have been recorded at temperature 70 °C. The performance of the cell shows that as the flow rate increase from 20 to 50 ml min-1 there is an improvement in performance of the cell. The flow rate was increased further 50 to 100 ml min-1 but no significance improvement can be seen in the performance. 3.4 Constant current mode The stability test for Mg-H2O2 fuel cell with carbon felt as cathode was conducted and represented in Figure 4. The measured OCV was 2.2V and the fuel cell was operated at constant current density of 50 mA cm-2 for 300 minutes. During the constant current mode operation the voltage was 1.15V and constantly decreased to 0.8V for a period of 50 minutes, during the first cycle. This is due to the consumption of Mg AZ61 anode, and was replaced with a fresh Mg AZ61 sheet for every cycle. The humps observed in the figure 4 represents cycles. Conclusion Carbon felt cathode has shown better performance in comparison with carbon cloth. Carbon felt shown a better performance with maximum power density of 91 mW cm-2 at 1.3V for 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 which is higher than all the cathodes used and high current density of 70 mA cm-2 at voltages 1.3V and 1.16 for 2M H2O2+2M H2SO4 and 0.5M H2O2+1.5M H2SO4 concentrations which is very high in comparison with carbon cloth. References G. Anderson, Aluminum–Silver Oxide Primary Battery, US Patent #3,953,239 (1976). E.G. Dow, R.R. Bessette, M.G. Medeiros, H. Meunier, G.L. Seebach, J. Van Zee, C. Marsh-Orndorff, Enhanced electrochemical performance in the development of the aluminum–hydrogen peroxide semi-fuel cell, J. Power Sources 65 (1997) 207–212. C. Marsh, H. Munier, R. Bessette, M.G. Medeiros, J. Van Zee, G. Seebach, US Patent #5,296,429, An Effective Method for the Reduction of H2O2. M.G. Medeiros, R. Bessette, D. Dischert, J. Cichon, US Navy Patent #6,228,527, Magnesium-Solution Phase Catholyte Seawater Electrochemical System. Maria G. Medeiros, Russell R. Bessette, Craig M. Deschenes, Charles J. Patrissi, Louis G. Carreiro, Steven P. Tucker, Delmas W. Atwater, â€Å"Magnesium-solution phase catholyte semi-fuel cell for undersea vehicles†, Journal of Power Sources 136 (2004) 226–231. Weiqian Yang, Shaohua Yang, Wei Sun, Gongquan Sun, Qin Xin, â€Å"Nanostructured silver catalyzed nickel foam cathode for an aluminum–hydrogen peroxide fuel cell†, Journal of Power Sources 160 (2006) 1420–1424. Chaozhu Shu, Erdong Wang, Luhua Jiang, Qiwen Tang, Gongquan Sun, â€Å"Studies on palladium coated titanium foams cathode for Mg–H2O2 fuel cells†, Journal of Power Sources 208 (2012) 159–164. L.M. Sun, D.X. Cao, G.L. Wang, â€Å"Pd–Ru/C as the electrocatalyst for hydrogen peroxide reduction†, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 38 (2008) 1415–1419. C.J. Patrissi, R.R. Bessette, Y.K. Kim, C.R. Schumacher, Fabrication and Rate Performance of a Microfiber Cathode in a Mgà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °H2O2Flowing Electrolyte Semi-Fuel Cell†, Journal of the Electrochemical Society 155 (2008) B558–B562. M.G. Medeiros, E.G. Dow, Magnesium-solution phase catholyte seawater electrochemical system, Journal of Power Sources 80 (1999) 78–82. J. Zhang, G.P. Yin, Z.B. Wang, Y.Y. Shao, â€Å"Effects of MEA preparation on the performance of a direct methanol fuel cell†, Journal of Power Sources 160 (2006) 1035–1040. C. Ponce de Le ´on, F.C. Walsh, A. Rose, J.B. Lakeman, D.J. Browning, R.W. Reeve, â€Å"A direct borohydride—Acid peroxide fuel cell†, Journal of Power Sources 164 (2007) 441–448.

Elisa of The Chrysanthemums :: The Chrysanthemums Essays

â€Å"Why-why Elisa†¦. You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon.† (Steinbeck 232) Most people reading this would just pass it off as a tactless man’s attempt to compliment, but is that all it is? In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Elisa is a farm wife, whose only passion in life is found in her gardening. Henry, her husband, owns a farm and is oblivious to the monotony of Elisa’s life. Throughout the story, Henry is on the outside, never really understanding Elisa and how she feels. Until, a tinker comes by the farm and speaks with Elisa about her Chrysanthemums. By asking just one question, the tinker opens Elisa and allows her to release the passion and femininity that she keeps hidden throughout her life. In John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Henry Allen’s seemingly inept comment is not just that but an allusion, put in place by Steinbeck, to the Dionysian maenads. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, merrymaking and gathering. His followers, the maenads, were said to be pushed into some form of â€Å"divine madness†, aided by wine, which would lead to prophecy and insight. More often, however, it led to drunkenness and promiscuity. They would then dance, sing and wander about, not to mention, join in sexual activities to stimulate fertility of the earth and achieve ecstasy. The maenads would occasionally reach a dangerous â€Å"frenzied state† where if they happened across it, they would â€Å"tear animals apart and devour the raw flesh† (â€Å"Maenads† par.1). So, knowing that, we take a second look at our story. Elisa Allen has had an erotic experience with the tinker by merely speaking of the passion she has for her chrysanthemums that has opened her eyes to how much of herself that she hides and subdues. Henry notices a difference in Elisa, beyond the way she is dressed, but he has never seen the passionate side of her and does not know what to say. When Henry claims that Elisa looks strong enough to kill and eat a cow, Steinbeck is making an allusion to the maenads of the ancient Greek world. David Leon Higdon, a scholar, claims that â€Å"With this image†¦Steinbeck transforms the characters and the ranch, synchronizing empirical and mythical realities, and identifying Elisa's new power and beauty with those of the Maenads or Bacchantes in their worship of Dionysus† (par. 1). It is quite clear that Henry’s comment is more than just that. â€Å"It is as if Steinbeck wished his reader to feel, for one brief moment, that he or she had opened a door inappropriately and

And Then There Were None Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  And Then There Were None, written by Agatha Christie is a thrilling tale of ten people invited to a remote island by an unseen figure who never appears throughout the story. All those who were invited have pasts that they are hiding and many things to fear. The guests are cast upon Indian Island, an island off the coast of England around the 1930s. Strangers to each other, slowly they reveal their shameful pasts. Coincidently, the name which they were invited by, Mr. U. N. Owen sounds similar to that of the word â€Å"unknown.† Among the characters is a Mr. Wargrave, a recently retired judge, who is intelligent, cold, and commanding. He takes leadership on the island after the killings begin. Wargrave is the first to insist publicly that they are dealing with a homicidal maniac, and the first to acknowledge that the killer must be part of their group. Vera Claythorne is witty and believes she was hired as a secretary to Mrs. Owen. Philip Lombard, a mysteri ous man, served as a soldier in Africa and often carries a gun with him. Among the other characters are William Blore, an ex-detective, and Dr. Armstrong who thinks he has been hired to look after the wife of the island’s owner. Emily Brent, General Macarthur, Tony Marston think they have been invited for a visit with old friends. And Then There Were None examines justice, but it bends the manifestation by making the victims of murder, people who committed murder themselves. It expresses the theme of what the burden of one’s own guilty conscience can lead that person to perform.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon arriving on the island, they are greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers who were hired as the butler and housekeeper. That evening after dinner they hear a recorded voice accusing each of them of a specific murder committed in the past and never uncovered. Talking about the accusations, they realize none of them actually have ever met or know â€Å"Mr. U.N. Owen.† As they ponder this mysterious matter, Tony Marston chokes on poisoned whiskey and dies. Vera Claythorne observes similarities between the death of Marston and the first verse of a nursery rhyme, â€Å"Ten Little Indians,† that hangs in each bedroom. The next morning the guests find that Mrs. Rogers apparently died in her sleep. The guests hope to leave that morning, but the boat that regularly delivers supplies to the island do... ...gives the book a wonderful plot and ending. The book addresses the idea that only the dead are above suspicion. A baffling mystery, And Then There Were None can be enjoyed by even the most immature [of people]. â€Å"Ten Little Indians† Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven. Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one of them and then there were two. Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little Indian boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself... And then there were none

Babe Ruth :: essays research papers

“Your simply incorrigible'; replied Babe’s wife. For years, the great baseball player “Babe Ruth'; has been called this, Yet despite these remarks Babe also possessed a humble heart towards children. Then on the other hand Babe possessed the attribute of being brutal and incorrigible. In this essay I will discuss these so distant characteristics that “The Great Bambino'; owned.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many loved “The Great Bambino';. For several reasons why. Unfortunately only the children saw this good side of him. It was when Babe Ruth stopped by the orphanage to equip the children with brand new shoes that really shocked the children. For not only did the children see a great baseball player but also a fastidious man. But Babe was also abandoned in his life. And that’s what led many to believe why he was such an altruistic man. Many loved the man and a lot hated him but none of that mattered as long as the children idolized him it was worth it. It was also when Babe Ruth was coming home from a football game. That a man burst out of the audience and yelled “ my boy, my boy… he’s dying, just sign this it would mean the world to him'; but not only did he sign the ball but he also visited him in the hospital After a eccentric conversation with Johnny Sylvester. Babe promised to hit a home run for the kid but Johnny Sylvester decline d he didn’t only want one home run he wanted two. So Babe laughed and promised, in the next game Babe did do that for him. And more, after the much-anticipated home run Babe ran to the microphone and told him to get better, and he did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand Babe owned the characteristic of being brutal and incorrigible. Many believe that Babes’ lack in common manners were because of his orphanage. “Incorrigible'; and that’s what he was labeled. And he was that, but it was shenanigans such as hanging his coach, Miller Huggings off the end of the train that brought publicity. After a stormy conversation with his wife, Miller burst in his train cabin complaining about cleaning up and paying for all the stuff that he broke and Babe just got tired of it and hung off the end of the train until he said he was sorry. Yet after these shenanigan’s Babe seemed to do the same exact thing time after time.

Grandparent raising their grandchildren and the social implication Essay

In American society, grandparent have been involved in the issues of raising their grandchildren in situation where the parent are not available, unwilling or not able to give sufficient care for their children. In other instances grandparent participate in taking care of their grandchildren even if the situation of parent are willing to care for their children. This is due to traditional cultures giving grandparent clear and direct duty for taking care and nurturing of their grandchildren. Traditionally, relationship between grandchildren and grandparent has been a special one but the current trend and growth of grandparent raising and taking care of grandparent has raise questions. In the past three decades, growth of the grandparent has gone beyond the perceived traditional role to social problem attracting researcher to study social implication of their role (Geen & Rob, 2004). A part from the traditional role of grandparent caring for their grandchildren being sentimental, this role in many instances has change to absolute caring and maintaining them. Their relationship has been special but the current trend means grandparent are taking responsibility of raising a second family. In the normal circumstances, children are expected to raised under intact family assume to having presence of both parent living in a favorable conditions. Traditionally, children would visit their grandparent in a situation where they are not living together over the weekends and sent back to their parent after the weekend. This trend has changed as the luxury of sending children to their parent of the weekend has changed to taking absolute care since the parent are unavailable, not able or not in position to take care of their children (Geen & Rob, 2004). Grandparents staying with their grandchildren are expected to take responsibility of raising and maintaining them. This result to social implication as the grandparent get to this role due prevailing circumstance other than something planned. Parenting role requires commitment or devotion as well as employment of financial resources. Roles of taking care of the grandchildren give grandparents massive responsibilities which may translate to emotional straining. The raise in number of families under absolute care of grandparent has increase to a questionable level which is beyond the traditional role. Study on the grandparent raising their grandchildren is important since it may evaluate the cause of the current trends, social implication to the grandparent and grandchildren, measures and solution to be taken. This paper investigates the tread and growth of the grandparent raising their grandchildren, its implication and solution to this problem and the help which can be advanced to this form of parenting (Edwards & Daire 2006). Culturally, nobody plan to raise a second taking all responsibilities which goes with this role. This means that grandparent taking fulltime responsibility of maintaining a grandchild cause to major change in the life of the grandparent (Edwards & Daire 2006). Demands which come with the role of parenting for the second time leads to unplanned struggles resulting to financial, emotional, physical, social and legal challenge not experienced the time when these grandparent were raising their own children. Most of grandparent are always in their old age, â€Å"The census of 1997 indicates that 33% of grandparent caregivers are under the age of 50, 48% are between the ages of 50 and 64, and 19% are over the age of 65† (National Resources Centre for Respite and Crisis Care Services 1998 para. 2). This means that engaging grandparent in raising of their grandchildren results trying to balance between struggling to manage their old age and caring for their grandchildren. Various studies have indicated that there is an increase in the case of grandparent raising their grandchildren. According to Casper and Bryson 2008, United States Bureau of the Census categorizes studies on this subject on five type grandparent maintained families i. e. â€Å"†¦both grandparents, some parents present; both grandparents, no parents present; grandmother only, some parents present; grandmother only, no parents present; and grandfather only present† (Casper and Bryson 2008 para. 1). This categorization is important as it helps to analyze implication since different states leads to different implications. Statistics from U. S. Census Bureau indicates that in 1970 3. 2 percent or 2. 2 million children in United States lived under care of grandparents. Overtime, the proportion of the grandchildren maintained by grandparent has resulted to a drastic increase. 1997 census on this subject indicated that there was an increase from 3. 2 percent in 1970 to 5. 5 percent or from 2. 2 million to 3. 9 million. This represents a 76 percent increase over period of 27 years. According to these statistical this increase was experienced in all in the above mentioned types of the grandparent care. The most notable was 118 percent increase of grandchildren with only mothers under grandparent with grandchildren living with their fathers increased by 217 percent. This change was more notable in 1980s but this further increased in 1990 indicating the greatest increase of children maintained by grandparents. According to Hammond 2002, statistics by American Association of retired Persons on 2000 census indicates that 2. 4 million grandparents are fully in charge of maintaining and solely taking care of their grandchildren. This was a 30 percent of the increase in the in 10 years.

Similar to the manner

May 31, 1988, the day I was born. The significance of my birth was that I was born while my mother had her final exams in college! It was a terrible situation for her at that time and it was difficult to juggle studies with family but she kept struggling until her graduation! Really, it was a great accomplishment that I have yet to show her proper gratitude for and when I was born, my grandfather had the priority to name me and he selected my name because it is the same name of his mother! May 31, 1988 was not simply the day that I was born but it was so much more. My coming into the world could not have been foreboded in a better manner.Never was a birth into this world received with so much fanfare and celebrity. In fact, how many can claim that on the day they were born the earth shook and trembled? Seriously, however, Darwin, Australia, was shook by an earthquake that registered a 7 on the Richter scale. There were so many events that transpired on the day that I was born. While my birthday was not exactly featured on any major newspaper and neither did it grace the headlines of any tabloid (gratefully so), it did not mean that it was an uneventful day otherwise. In Brazil, the government made a major decision to revitalize the local economy by instituting fiscal reforms.Similar to the manner by which my parents were forced to make monetary adjustments to compensate for my arrival into this world and the horde of resources they would need to support me, Brazil too was forced to brace for the coming of financially challenging times and notches of belt tightening. In other parts of the world, my birthday was celebrated with the appointment of an Australian to the Secretariat of State of the Vatican. Though I would certainly like to claim that there were no misfortunes that occurred on the day that I was born I have to, perhaps, take the good with the bad or see things in a different light.Other people say that a man died the day that I was born but, on a pers onal level, the maxim out with the old and in with the new comes to mind. It was unfortunate that a man died when his boat capsized but then again I have somewhat believed in the circle of life and perhaps his passing had made way for my entrance into this world. Speculation aside, I am sure that the day that I was born will always be either a day of farewells or a day of greetings and salutations. Far from it for me to claim that the only newsworthy events that transpired on my birthday.In fact, there were other events that are indeed quite fitting to mark this occasion were the introduction of a new swimwear line made by known fashion designers. This was a line that decided to be risque and daring, much like the life I was destined to lead. It also marked a major landmark for sports news casting because CBS announced that it was expanding its roster of announcers and looking for black announcers. CBS was taking a step forward in race relations and breaking down established cultura l barriers by making that announcement.I could perhaps claim that my birthday was a day that boundaries in fashion and culture were broken. Finally, what would my birthday be like it consumerism was not celebrated and heralded at its finest for my birthday was the same day that Coach decided to launch its new model bag that would become the hippest bag in the United States that summer. Retailing for what at that time was already a huge sum of money, the new Coach bag with a tag price of US $138 as well as the Corum Admiral Watch at US $6,900 would be the perfect way to signal my arrival into this world.Exposed to expensive and soft leather, as well as courted by the bright reflections dancing on pieces of shining jewelry, this is the way I intend to lead my life. As I read the events that transpired on my date of birth, I am struck by a realization that makes me smile. While I am aware that the event of my birth will probably not be as well remembered by others, the annals of histor y will always show that something happened that day. It may not be my birth that people will remember but it whatever memory people will have will always occur on the birth date.

Organization Study Essay

INTRODUCTION Organization study is â€Å"the examination of how individuals construct organizational structures, processes, and practices and how these, in turn, shape social relations and create institutions that ultimately influence people†, organizational studies comprise different areas that deal with the different aspects of the organizations, many of the approaches are functionalist but critical research also provide alternative frame for understanding in the field. An organization is a group of persons formed to seek certain goals. Each and every organization has its own importance in the wealth of nation. Different organization meets different products and services. In this fast changing business scenario, it is the imperative for every aspirant of business to have a vivid understanding of the functional application of the new age business. The organization study undertaken as a part of the curriculum was done at â€Å"The Kerala Kerakarshaka Sahakarana Federation Ltd (KERAFED)†, Thiruvananthapuram. This study provides an opportunity to expose the students to an industry /organization and its operational conditions. This study also aims at having a better understanding of various departments and its functioning. This report consists of a detailed study of the history of the company, product profile, organizational hierarchy, various departments and their functioning etc. This study proved to be fruitful by familiarizing us to the organization and at the same time it also helped us to create practical awareness. KERAFED’s main product is ‘KERA’ coconut oil – the purest, healthiest and tastiest cooking oil. The federation started commercial production in 1993. KERAFED’s coconut oil production plant is in Karunagapally in Kollam district. The head office of KERAFED is in Thiruvananthapuram. Regional office in Ernakulum and mobile units are at Malappuram. KERAFED one of the largest coconut oil producers aims at an integrated development of coconut and coconut products. Production plant of KERAFED is having the facilities for processing of copra, extraction and packing. Processing is done through most sophisticated processing facilities. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To study about the organization and how it functions. To learn the working of various departments. To understand how the theoretical aspects are put to practice in the organization. To assess the marketing efforts adopted by the company. To study about the organizational culture. To study various production levels and units. To study the financial activities of the company. To study the overall functioning of the company. It aims to understand the flow of authority inside the organization. To identify and evaluate the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats faced by organization. INDUSTRY PROFILE The coconut palm is one of the most valuable plants to man. In Sanskrit the coconut palm is called â€Å"kalpa vriksha†, which roughly translated means â€Å"Tree of Life†. In India, it provides livelihood to about 10 million people through various activities from its cultivation to processing of its products. All the parts of the coconut tree can be put to useful purposes- the roots, the trunk, the wood, leaves, the blossom and all the parts of the nut. Two major classes of coconut palm are typically recognized on the basis of structure: tall and dwarf. The ones most commonly planted for commercial purposes are the tall varieties, which are slow to mature and first flower six to ten years after planting. They produce medium-to-large size nuts and have a life span of sixty to seventy years. The dwarf varieties may have originated as a mutation of tall types. The dwarf variety may grow to a height of twenty five to thirty feet and begin flower after three years, when the y are only about three feet tall. Their life span is only about thirty years. INDIAN EDIBLE OIL INDUSTRY The climate conditions in India favors of a variety of oil seeds. On the demand side, a growing population and vastly varied directory habits have ensured a thriving market for Edible oil in the country. In India, the fasts of animal origin are seldom used as a cooking media; the term vegetable oil is used as a synonym for Edible oil. Thus, Edible oil is a major source of nutrition for the people and oil cakes, which are by-products of oil extraction process and are important sources of animal nutrition. Oil seeds in India account for around 5.0% of the Gross National Product (GNP) and 14.0% of the country’s area under cultivation of crops. Castor, Groundnut, Mustard, Sunflower etc. are some of the major oil seeds grown the rise in oil seeds production has been stimulated by increase in production of soya been and groundnut crops. India produces10% of the world’s oil seeds, but has a low productivity around 850-900 kg per hectare. The oil seeds take their place, next only to food grains, has the second largest agricultural crop. The cultivation of oil seeds in India is spread over various states. In Jan1989, the Government announced an integrated oil policy which emphasizes on the introduction of moved technology and incentive price to the Production Programmed through the technology mission on oil seeds. GLOBAL SCENARIO The oil and fat industry consists of processors of vegetable, animal and marine products that convert these products into edible oils and fats usually sold as food products in their own right or sold as ingredients for further processing into other food products. In India, the facts of animal origin are seldom used as cooking media. Edible oil is a major source of nutrition for the people and the oil cakes which are by-products of the extraction process are important sources of animal nutrition. Vegetable oils are extracted from the fruits, flowers and seeds of plant and essentially have the same constituent but its propositions may vary. The principle vegetable oils are palm, sunflower, corn, groundnut, cotton seed etc. Among these oil seeds copra or coconut production is only 1%. The crop plays a dominant role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the growers. Indonesia, Philippines and India are the top three leading producers of coconut oil. 3.5 million Tones of coconut oil are produced annually around the world. Coconut Industry in India Coconut palms are grown widely in the coastal tracts of the country. The coconut economy of India is in a convenient status. India accounts for 22.34 percent of the world’s coconut production and is one of the major players in the world’s coconut trade. Currently the crop is 1.91 million hectares with an annual production of nearly 13000 million nuts. Copra processing, coconut oil extraction and coir manufacturing are the traditional coconut based industries in the country. The price of the coconut in the country is dependent on the prevailing price of coconut oil which is characterized by recurring violent fluctuations. The behavior of coconut oil price is relatively dependent on overall supply of oils and fats in the country. The fluctuation in the price of the coconut oil simultaneously reflects on the price of coconut. The volatile price situation often ends in the negligence of the coconut gardens, leading to attack of pests and diseases and low productivity. Of the range of ways, promoting cost effective coconut based farming system, product diversification and value addition play a crucial role in the stabilization of the coconut oil driven domestic market and is essential for reorienting and engineering the Indian Coconut Industry cost effective and globally competitive. The Coconut Development Board has been playing pivotal role in promoting viable coconut based farming system, on-farm processing and products development. The production and marketing of value added products have started attracting commercial interest and the situation brought rejuvenation in the sector. The market promotional measures undertaken in pursuit of the popularization of health benefits of coconut oil and tender coconut water have attributed a stimulating effect on the less dependency of coconut oil driven coconut economy. There has been a well defined network in the country to undertake the R&D of coconut. The State Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes, Agriculture/Horticulture Departments of States/UTs, organizations like NAFED, KERAFED etc. and private institutions contribute to the pursuit of the research and development process of coconut in the country. STRENGTH OF INDIAN COCONUT INDUSTRY India is one of the leading producers of coconuts in the world, producing 13 billion nuts per annum. The coconut areas are distributed in 18 states and three Union Territories under different agro-climatic conditions. India has 3000 years tradition in coconut cultivation. It is the premier coir manufacturing country in the world. India is the producer of best grade milling copra in the world yielding high grade coconut oil known for its aroma and flavor. Large number of farmer’s co-operative societies in primary processing and marketing. Government agencies such as KERAFED, State Trading Corporation, Kerala State Marketing Federation and Karnataka State Marketing Federation in manufacturing and marketing of branded coconut oil in small packs. Hundreds of reputed and established private firms in manufacturing and marketing of various coconut products including branded coconut oil in small packs. ïÆ' ¼There are wide ranges of coconut products both edible and non-edible available for export. Technical know-how and trained manpower for the manufacture of various coconut based products. There is an availability of research support by reputed research organizations such as CSIR, ICAR and DRDO. Coconut Products in India A large number of coconut products are manufactured in the country which have both domestic and export market. Vinegar and soft drink are manufactured in the country from coconut water. Tender coconut water is another product which is manufactured and marketed successfully. Coconut Products Coconut Oil Coconut oil makes up about 20% of all vegetable oils used in the world. Copra, the dried kernel is the chief commercial product from coconut, which is mainly used for oil extraction. Coconut oil is made from fully dried copra having maximum moisture content of 6%. For the extraction of oil from copra the common method still prevailing in our country is by using rotary chucks. But the efficient system of extraction of oil is by the use of expellers. Coconut oil is an important cooking medium in Southern parts of the country especially in Kerala State. Besides, the oil has varied industrial applications. It is used in the manufacture of detergents, hair tonics, cosmetics and toilet soaps, laundry soaps, and surface active agents. It is used throughout the country as hair oil as it helps growth of the hair. As massage oil it has a cooling effect on the body. Owing to these qualities coconut oil has a potential market in the country. Since the price of a coconut oil in the international market is very much lower than the domestic price, the quality and attractiveness of consumer packs are important factors to compete in the world market. While the demand for coconut oil for cooking purpose is elastic, its demand as hair oil is inelastic. Coconut oil is marketed in bulk as well as in packs ranging from sachets containing 5 ml to 15 kg tins. The branded coconut oil in small packs is mainly marketed as hair oil and body oil. There are several brands known for their superior grade oil which have export market throughout the world. India has unbeatable quantity advantage in this sector. Refined coconut oil is also manufactured in the country for industrial uses. Refined coconut oil is mainly used in the manufacture of biscuits, chocolates and other confectionary items, ice cream, pharmaceutical products and costly paints. Generally, filtered coconut oil is used for cooking and toiletry purposes. Virgin Coconut Oil Virgin Coconut Oil is also made in the country from the milk extracted from raw kernel. This is done on a small scale by the traditional method which is now partially mechanized or on a large scale by adopting wet processing technology. Coconut milk is fermented and then by mechanical process, water is separated from oil. No heating or application of sunlight or dryer is done for the process. The virgin coconut oil is free from Trans fatty acid, high in medium chain fats known as lauric acid, which is identical to special groups of fats found human breast milk and also rich in vitamin-E. High quality of this oil makes it ideal massage oil for babies and also for skin and hair applications. APPLICATIONS Cooking Coconut oil is widely used in cooking, the refined oil is one most commonly used. Manufacturing Coconut oil is used in volume quantities for making soap and cosmetics. Hydrogenated coconut oil is often used in non-dairy creamers, and snack foods. ïÆ' ¼Fractionated coconut oil is used in the manufacture of essences, massage oils and cosmetics. Coconut oil is an important component of many industrial lubricants, for example in the cold rolling of steel strip. Cosmetics and skin treatments Coconut oil is excellent as a skin moisturizer and softener. Coconut oil is used for styling hair, and cooling or smoothing the head. As a fuel- Traditional use Coconut oil is used in oil lamps. In diesel engines Coconut oil has been tested for use as a feedstock for biodiesel to be used as a diesel engine fuel. In this manner it can be applied to power generators and transport using diesel engines. Raw coconut oil can be used as a fuel for generating electricity by remote communities that has an abundant supply of coconuts and milling capacity, provided diesel engines are adapted. Health effects Studies have found that coconut oil can help in weight loss and poison recovery. Nutritional/Medicinal Easy digestibility and absorbability. Ideal energy source in baby foods. Contains Vitamin-E. Composed mainly of short and medium chain fatty acids which have desirable qualities and functions. Does not contain cholesterol. Reduced fat accumulation in body. Easily oxidized and therefore a preferred energy source. Requires no transport system to absorb, digest and metabolize. Very low content of Omega 6 fatty acid. Studies undertaken by the Biochemistry Department, University of Kerala showed that coconut oil: Does not elevate blood total cholesterol Increases blood HDL cholesterol Consumed along with coconut kernel lowers blood cholesterol Copra Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the coconut. Copra making can be defined as the systematic process through which the fresh meat coconut containing 50 to 55% moisture is dried in sun or other sources of to bring down the moisture content 5% to 6% only. Eleven to twelve month old nuts are utilized for copra making to obtain the optimum output of better quality copra. The nuts are first husked to remove the fibrous outer layer of the husk. The husked nuts are then split into halves and the water is drained off. These halves are then kept for half an hour with the open side turned down to ensure that entire water is drained off, if this is not done, some moisture will be retained which will in turn lead to deterioration of copra. The halves or cups are now ready for drying, which should invariably start within 4 hours after breaking. Two types of copra namely milling and edible are made in India. Milling copra is used to extract oil while edible grade of copra is consumed as a dry fruit and used for religious purposes. Milling copra is generally manufactured by adopting sun drying and artificial means. Substantial quantity of milling copra is manufactured using modern hot air driers resulting in the availability of superior quality copra which is required for the manufacture of best grade coconut oil. A good number of farmers’ co-operative societies are also involved in the manufacture and marketing of milling copra. Milling copra is available in different grades. Edible copra is made in the form of balls and cups. Different grades of edible copra are available in the market according to the size, color etc. Quality of copra is determined based on moisture content and extend of inferior type of copra. Inferior types of copra are generally: Mould effect Immature or rubbery copra made from immature nuts. Insect attacked copra. Discolored copra. Good quality copra is one which contains not more than 6% moisture. Coconut oil is obtained by crushing copra and most efficient method of extraction is by using expeller. Methods of extraction of oil Various methodsYield of oil Chucks58% – 60% Rotary Mills 62% – 63% Expellers63% – 65% Source: Annual report Coconut Cake Coconut cake is the residue left after the extraction of oil from copra which is mainly used as a cattle feed. Coconut cake contains 4 – 5 percent oil which is extracted by solvent extraction process. This oil is generally used for industrial purpose and de-oiled cake is used to make mixed cattle feed. There are a few such units in the country especially in Kerala. NAFED National agricultural co-operative marketing federation, which was organized in 1958, represents the entire marketing structure at the national level. It was established with the object of coordinately and promoting the marketing and trading activities of the members in agricultural and other commodities. Their main objectives are:- ïÆ' ¼To make arrangements for the supply of agricultural requirements of its members. ïÆ' ¼To promote interstate and international trade in agricultural and other commodities. ïÆ' ¼To render advice and technical guidance to its members. The main aim of NAFED is to assist the marketing of cooperatives in the states to develop their marketing businesses. In order to achieve this NAFED adopts various strategies with a view to ensure better returns to the farmers. It undertakes price support operation, buffer stocking, export and import of commodities etc to balance production with consumption. When the government of India formulates policies for support price in respect of certain commodities, it appoints NAFED as its agency for procurement. Coconut Day (2nd September) September 2nd of every year has been designated as coconut day as per the decision of Asian and Pacific Coconut Community head quarters at Jakarta, Indonesia. Foundation day of APCC also falls on 2nd September. A major coconut growing countries including India are the members of the APCC. The celebration of the annual coconut day is aimed at creating more awareness on the importance of the coconut and focusing world attention to this crop to enhance its potential in alleviating poverty, encouraging investment in the sector and promote total development of coconut industry in the member countries. In India coconut development board is taking the lead in the annual celebration of the coconut day. COMPANY PROFILE â€Å"Kerala Kerakarshaka Sahakarana Federation Ltd†, (KERAFED) was registered under the co-operative societies Act in 1987, with assistance of European Economic Community, National Cooperative Development Corporation and the government of Kerala. KERAFED is the Apex Cooperative Federation of coconut farmers in Kerala and is the largest producer of coconut oil in India. The federation started commercial production in 1993. The head office of KERAFED is located in Thiruvananthapuram. KERAFED’s coconut oil complex at Karunagapally in Kollam district is one of the biggest such units in India, with a capacity of 200 tons per day. The primary objective of KERAFED is to organize coconut growers by bringing them under the cooperative umbrella and to provide them with all supplies and services to augment their income base by increased productivity and value additions through the integrated system of production achievement, storage, processing, diversification and marketing of coconut oil and all/any products of coconut palm at a price remunerative to growers and fair to consumers. As the coconut farmers in Kerala were reeling under the strange hold of powerful country trade cartels that consistently manipulate market conditions and dictate price trend to their advantage, KERAFED aimed at procurement of 50% to 60% of the total coconut/copra produced in the state which will be processed at its own processing unit and marketed. KERAFED is the single largest procurers of coconut/copra produced in Kerala from 900 societies all over the state. KERAFED has a good distribution network consisting of stockiest, dealers and suppliers. The Objectives of KERAFED are: To reduce edible oil imports. To provide an impulse effect on internal production of coconut. To develop the agricultural potential of Kerala State. To strengthen the co-operative movement To secure the marketing of coconut and its by-products, thereby assuring economic prices to the growers. ïÆ' ¼To establish and manage infrastructure facilities for production and supply of inputs and processing, manufacturing and marketing of products and by products of coconut palm. ïÆ' ¼To undertake research and development activities on production, processing and marketing. Thus to increase the income of 29 lakh farmers’ families and create employment opportunities in the industrial sector. For effectively and efficiently carrying out the administrative and operational practices on a day to day basis, the state is divided into three region, the southern region, the northern region and central region. The southern region consists of the revenue districts – Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. The northern region consists of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargode districts. The central region consists of Kottayam, Idukki, Eranakulam, Thrissur, Palaghat districts. 300 primary agricultural credit cooperatives societies in each region are members of the federation to undertake production, procurement, marketing activities at the farmers’ level. For processing and product diversification, each region will have one processing plant with a capacity 200 tons of copra per day. MOTTO To give support to the coconut farmers. Distributing or providing healthy coconut oil to customers VISION To become the single largest Procurement agency of Copra and the biggest Coconut Products manufacturing Company in India. MISSION Being the number one producer of the best quality coconut oil, it aims at the following areas Business Customer relation Innovation